Grant Family Newsletter

Happy April families! I know that this month has gone by very fast! I will put another newsletter out in early May. However, there were several items that I wanted to talk to you about. So thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter.

Just a reminder to please read all notices sent to you via email, newsletters, and to go through your child's Thursday folder for school information. If you have any questions you may call the front office, myself or contact your child's teacher.

The office number is:510-317-3700

My email is: sbolton@slzusd.org

We hope to see you tonight, Wed. 4/26 at Open House! You can park in the side parking lot, if there is room. However, please come through the front door.

On Friday, we are having a Poetry Slam! Scholars have been learning about poems all month. We will have an outdoor assembly on Friday, 4/28th, at 9:45am. I am excited to invite you to our Poetry Slam assembly! Each grade level will recite poems! We would love for you to join us!

If you attend, please come through the side gate by the large staff parking lot. Please go directly to the playground area. Please do not go to classes. We will open the gates at 9:40am. This is a standing or sitting on the ground event.

We are looking forward to having you attend our assembly!

Please join us on Zoom for a presentation on Restorative Practices on Wed, 5/3, 5;30-6:30 pm.

Grant will team up with Bay Elementary parents and Principal, along with our Restorative Practices district staff, Becca Coleman.

These restorative practices are so important, because we use them here at school to help children resolve conflicts. It will help if you also, understood it and also use it at home.

PLEASE ATTEND!! Check the website for the zoom link.

Before I begin, I am aware that this area has allot of negatives that I am seeing with our culture and climate. However, I do believe there is more positive and joy here at Grant , then negative. However, these are areas that I still see as problem, so I am asking for your help, and your partnership. We are a village. We need each other, for us to see the most out of our children.

As we are coming up on the last 30 days of school, I am asking you to please have a talk with all children about the expectations at school. Everyone should feel happy and safe when coming to school. Safety includes emotional and physical safety. It is hard for any person to be able to do their best work or be there best person, if they do not feel safe. I take this very seriously. Please talk to all children about the following:

• There is no physical touching at school. None. Please remind scholars that hugging, kissing, grabbing, pulling, playing tag, pushing...none of that is allowed at school. It always leads to a problem, so we ask that children do not participate in this. The only exception would be a handshake or fist bump.
• No "roasting". Roasting is a game that children often play that involves talking badly about or teasing another child. This "roasting" can include the child's physical appearance, their intelligence, clothing, shoes and sometimes their family members. The other child could either be a willing party, where they go back in forth. Other times, it is one sided. Sometimes other children are watching and cheering this on. Again, this is not ok and not allowed at school.
• Please talk to your child about appropriate cafeteria behavior. The cafeteria is an indoor space. Children can talk and socialize, however it should not be extremely loud. This is a safety issue. Adults have to be able to be communicate in the event of an emergency. There has also been cases of playing with food and milk. Lastly, all scholars should leave the area better than they left it. Lately, some classes are leaving food and trash. Please remind them to be mindful, respectful and responsible.
• Let's teach our kids about sportsmanship. No put downs, unfair teams, playing rough, "smack" talking, or a few kids dominating the games. This will not be allowed. Please help us reinforce this expectation.
• Please talk to children about turning in lost items if they find them, as well as not taking anything that does not belong to them. Most classes keep their backpacks outside the door in bins. No one should go inside another persons backpack.

One Team....One Family.

Some scholars are arriving too early. We do not have supervision until 8:15. It is not safe for scholars to be here too early. Please adjust your drop off time, if this applies to you. Also, for pick up, some scholars are regularly picked up after 3:10. If your child is not in the afterschool program, we do not have supervision for after school. I have to regularly take my office staff away from the office when this happens. Please call if you will be a little late. Also, if this is a regular occurrence, please adjust your pick up time. I will reach out to you if this applies to you.

This is a reminder, scholars should not bring to school soda pop, high caffeinated drinks, candy, gum , or large (family size) bags of potato chips. Small snack size bags of chips is appropriate for school. PLEASE NOT LARGE BAGS. They also need to finish their Starbucks drinks before school start.

Please help your child to choose healthy food and drink choices. We also have a salad bar at school and filtered water stations that we encourage scholars to use.

Thank you for your partnership in making sure our children have healthy nutrition for their school day.

CAASP (State testing) is coming up!! Let's help our scholars be confident in showing what they know! Please encourage our kids, make sure they get good rest, breakfast, and arrive on time to school! This is an exciting time for us to show that our teachers are teaching, and our children are learning the curriculum!

Week of April 27th: 5th grade only will take the science test

Week of May 8th: 3-5th graders will take the language arts tests

Week of May 15th: 3-5th graders will take the math tests

TK-2nd grade do not test, they will help support a great testing environment and they will continue to demonstrate their own end of the year knowledge in class with their teacher.

Our school district has sent out the volunteer information to all families. Please refer to those emails or go to this volunteer webpage, which includes basic information and answers to your Frequently Asked Questions. The district Human Resource department is who you should contact for an update.

Please be mindful of safety for ALL children when dropping off and picking up your child.

• You cannot park your car in the loop and get out
• Cars should enter the loop and pull up as far as they can go before letting the child in or out of the car.
• Only let them get out on the side where the sidewalk is, not the street side. If they have to get out on that side, please get out and open the door and escort them to the side walk
• When traffic starts to move please don't try and drive in front of another car. Please take turns so that all cars get out safely. Allow those who were in the loop dropping kids off into the line to drive out.
• When you drive out the loop-there is no left turning. This is a right only turn. When you do not obey the traffic signs-it holds up traffic for everyone behind you trying to get out the loop. Please be considerate.
• Please do not let children out of the car across the street. This is dangerous. There is a cross walk up the block
• Please do not park or drop off in the staff parking lots-this is a dangerous situation when you try to park and pull out during arrival and dismissal. Our "Littles" Kindergarten and 1st grade get picked up and dropped off in the side parking lot.
• Remember we are all in this together. All kids should be watched out for and we should try our best to be courteous during arrival and dismissal.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION